Brad Kominek - International Beer Experience

Noble Ale Works (Anaheim, CA)

“This experience has taught me quite a lot when it comes to beer and developing my knowledge around the various styles that are made in the countries we visited. There are definitely nuanced aspects of brewing that are difficult, if not impossible, to pick up via traditional learning such as reading and discussion, and with that is what I came away from this whole experience appreciating the most. When it comes to lambic and geueze production, for example, there’s often a feeling of mystery surrounding the methods or circumstances that help create the unique and delicious flavor profiles and are generally not achieved with reliable frequency that occurs in the Belgian area. Visiting the producers of these styles of beer let us see, taste, smell and overall feel how these beers are made and dispels the mystery behind the process. This type of discovery happened to us over and over again throughout Belgium and England. Overall, it brings me much closer to creating the beer I want to make, helping the progress of Noble and my creativity in general.

To build on what I was saying in my last answer, since it basically ties together, I will be using the knowledge I learned in order to incorporate the best aspects of the beer brewed in England and Belgium to create better beer. Both Evan and I became so eager to put this knowledge to use that we were actually excited for the trip to come to an end to start formulating recipes and brewing! We have already brewed two beers since coming back using the information we learned. We created an entirely new beer, an English bitter, where the yeast, malt, and hops were all influenced by the trip. The other beer that’s already been affected is our mainstay English 101, the ESB. We changed the grain bill and the yeast we used in that beer and it is coming together amazingly. Both beers take us back to a pub in England when we take a sip. It’s really exciting!

IAM actually was a big part of the inception of the actual trip. In talking with Bobby about IAM helping with the trip, it make us realize it was something we could actually do. I know we will be ever grateful to IAM for this and essentially allowing this excitement we have for making these beers happen. Without IAM, this trip would not have happened.

I think it’s an extremely righteous cause. The more inspired and educated artists out there, the more humanity can appreciate it and learn and progress. Its effects reach far beyond the artist alone!”